Hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner

ABSTRACT

A hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner is disclosed for brushing a user&#39;s teeth all at once, without requiring manual manipulation, thereby enabling the user to engage in other activities while his teeth are being brushed. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner includes top and bottom brush trays which include tooth-brushing material (such as bristles) for contacting the user&#39;s teeth, a motor housed within a motor case located in the space formed by the brush trays, and a switch for actuating the motor. In some embodiments the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner includes a handle for easy insertion and removal. In some embodiments, the tooth-brushing material is capable of contacting all sides of a user&#39;s teeth, as well as the gum line. Other embodiments include an external surface capable of providing non-irritating frictional contact to soft tissue of a user&#39;s mouth.

FIELD

The invention generally relates to teeth cleaning devices, and morespecifically to motorized teeth cleaning devices.

BACKGROUND

Dental and oral hygiene is an important part of one's personal healthand appearance. Brushing the teeth removes plaque and reduces decay.Traditional teeth cleaning devices are manual toothbrushes. Manualtoothbrushes have a head with bristles, the head being supported by ahandle. A user grasps the handle and maneuvers the handle so as to movethe bristles across the teeth, thereby brushing the teeth manually.

Manual brushing of teeth requires that a user devote considerableattention to proper brushing. If one is not careful during manualbrushing of their teeth, he can miss important regions of his teeth,leaving the teeth vulnerable to decay.

On the other hand, improper manual brushing can also lead to abrasion,thereby wearing off the protective enamel layer of the teeth. Somepeople with busy schedules are unable to properly brush their teethusing this manual approach, within the time they allot to brushing.

Motorized toothbrushes aim to add convenience and enhanced effectivenessto the tooth brushing process. Some motorized toothbrushes requiremanual movement of a generally linear shaft, so as to guide a head withbristles along the outer surfaces of the teeth and gums.

By contrast, some other motorized teeth cleaning devices include a“brush tray” (a tray filled with toothbrushing material such asbristles) for surrounding an entire row of teeth, with an externalhandle attached to the brush tray, and a motor housed within theexternal handle. The brush tray is capable of receiving a user's row ofteeth when the user inserts his row of teeth into the brush tray. Thesebrush-tray motorized teeth cleaning devices can help a user to brush histeeth, without requiring the user to move a generally linear shaft alonga row of the teeth.

Nonetheless, these devices require that a user hold the external handleduring brushing. The user must hold the external handle so as to keepthe trays level for the proper degree and uniformity of pressure, andthe user must also hold the handle when manipulating the device so as toswitch between brushing the top row of teeth and the bottom row ofteeth.

A user who does not hold and manipulate the external handle, would notreceive the proper degree and uniformity of pressure required duringbrushing, and would not receive brushing to both rows of teeth.

Furthermore, if a user wished to let go of the handle at any time, hewould have to clench his jaws and apply biting pressure in an attempt tohold the brush tray in place despite the weight of the handle. Suchbiting action can compromise the degree and uniformity of pressure beingapplied to the user's teeth, and could also pose the risk of damage tothe teeth and/or jaws.

SUMMARY

A hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner is claimed forautomatically brushing teeth without requiring hand manipulation duringbrushing. Because a motor is housed in a case that sits inside the spacecreated by brush trays, no bulky handle is required. Therefore, thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner is capable ofautomatically brushing both upper and lower rows of a user's teethsimultaneously, without requiring manual manipulation. In someembodiments the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner canclean other tissue in the mouth as well, such as the inner cheeks andtongue, for example.

The user can simply insert the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner into the mouth, and then turns it on. The hands-freesimultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner brushes all of the user's teethin parallel, cleaning the teeth of the whole mouth all at once. Whilethe hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner is operating inthe mouth, the user can accomplish other morning and/or evening tasks,including dressing or undressing. Therefore, the user's teeth can bebrushed with the proper degree and uniformity of pressure withoutrequiring any manual manipulation during brushing.

The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner containstoothbrush trays including tooth-brushing material for brushing a user'steeth, and a motor case situated within a center space created bytoothbrush trays, the toothbrush trays having tooth-brushing materialfor contacting a user's teeth. A motor housed within the motor case iscapable of causing movement of the tooth-brushing material so as toeffect brushing of the teeth, and a switch is capable of actuating themotor.

Because the motor is located in an area that is meant to be insertedinto the mouth, no excessively bulky parts are required to protrude fromthe inserted portion of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner. Therefore, the shape, size, and weight distribution of thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner is conducive tohands-free operation, and enables a user to accomplish other activitiesduring brushing. Because this hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner does not require a bulky and heavy motor-filled handle, a usercan receive the proper degree and uniformity of pressure required duringbrushing without manually manipulating the device itself.

In some embodiments, the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner includes a handle for inserting and removing the toothbrushhousing. While the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner canbe inserted by hand, no manual manipulation is required during actualuse of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner. Thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner can clean a person'steeth, and in some embodiments, soft tissue within the mouth as well,all without the user being required to manipulate it manually uponinsertion.

In one general embodiment, a hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner for brushing teeth without requiring any manual manipulation isclaimed, the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleanerincluding: a top brush tray with an arc-shaped, upward-facing channelcapable of receiving a user's top row of teeth, the top brush trayhaving tooth-brushing material affixed to an inner surface of theupward-facing channel, the tooth-brushing material being positioned soas to contact the user's top row of teeth when the user's teeth arereceived by the top brush tray; a bottom brush tray with an arc-shaped,downward-facing channel capable of receiving a user's bottom row ofteeth, the top brush tray having tooth-brushing material affixed to aninner surface of the downward-facing channel, the tooth-brushingmaterial being positioned so as to contact the user's bottom row of auser's teeth when the user's teeth are received by the bottom brushtray; a motor case attached to at least one of the top brush tray andthe bottom brush tray, the motor case being located in a center spaceformed by at least one of the top brush tray and the bottom brush tray;a motor housed within the motor case, the motor being in drivingrelationship with at least one of the top and bottom brush trays, themotor being thereby capable of causing movement of the tooth-brushingmaterial within the top and bottom brush trays; and a switch capable ofactuating the motor, thereby causing the tooth-brushing material withinboth the top and bottom brush trays to simultaneously brush both the topand bottom rows of the user's teeth.

In some embodiments, the tooth brushing material includes at least oneof: bristles; sponge material; polymer foam; and gel. In someembodiments, the top brush tray and the bottom brush tray are mutuallyaffixed so as to lie in substantially parallel planes. In someembodiments, the tooth-brushing material is positioned so as to becapable of contacting at least one of: an outer surface of a tooth; andan inner surface of a tooth. In some embodiments, the tooth-brushingmaterial is positioned so as to be capable of contacting at least oneof: bottom surfaces of top teeth; and top surfaces of bottom teeth. Insome embodiments, the tooth-brushing material is positioned so to becapable of contacting a user's gum line.

In some embodiments, plastic is used to make at least one of: the topbrush tray; the bottom brush tray; and the motor case. In someembodiments, the motor is capable of vibrating at least one of the topbrush tray and the bottom brush tray in a substantially random motion.In some embodiments, the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner further comprises a handle extending from at least one of: themotor case; the top brush tray; and the bottom brush tray, the handlebeing for manually guiding the top brush tray and bottom brush tray intoand out of a user's mouth, the handle being sufficiently small andlightweight, so as to enable a user to perform actions other thantoothbrushing during operation of the hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner.

In some embodiments, the handle extends from an apex of at least one ofthe top brush tray and the bottom brush tray. In some embodiments, thehandle is short enough to enable a user to pull clothes over the user'shead. In some embodiments, the handle includes a rounded end. In someembodiments, the handle includes a ball-shaped end. In some embodiments,the switch is located on the handle.

In some embodiments, the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner further comprises an extended soft-tissue contacting surface ofat least one of: the top brush tray, the bottom brush tray, and themotor case, the extended soft-tissue contacting surface being capable ofproviding non-irritating frictional contact to soft tissue of a user'smouth via vibration induced by the motor. In some embodiments, thenon-irritating frictional contact is capable of at least one of:removing dead cells from the soft tissue; and cleaning the soft tissue.In some embodiments, the soft tissue includes at least one of: theuser's gums; the user's tongue; and the user's inner cheeks. In someembodiments, the extended soft-tissue contacting surface is capable ofproviding simultaneous non-irritating frictional contact to each of: theuser's gums; the user's tongue; and the user's inner cheeks. In someembodiments, the extended soft-tissue contacting surface includesrubber. In some embodiments, the extended soft-tissue contacting surfacecontains at least one of: bumps; ridges; dimples; and grooves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the detaileddescription, in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an embodiment of the hands-freesimultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3A is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3B is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an oblique view of an alternative embodiment which includesbrushes that are angled so as to be capable of reaching a person's gumline;

FIG. 5 is an oblique underside view of the embodiment of FIG. 4A,further including extended soft-tissue contacting surfaces on portionsof its exterior surface;

FIG. 6 is an elements diagram showing the relationship between the mainelements of an embodiment of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouthteeth cleaner; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing exemplary steps of using an embodiment ofthe hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an embodiment of the hands-freesimultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner 100. A motor case 102 whichhouses a motor (not shown), is attached to a top brush tray 104containing tooth-brushing material 106, as well as a bottom brush tray108, also containing tooth-brushing material 106. The top and bottombrush trays 104, 108 each have an arc-shaped channel capable ofreceiving a user's row of teeth when the user inserts his top and bottomrows of teeth into the respective trays 104, 108.

Both the top and bottom brush trays contain tooth-brushing material 106.In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the tooth-brushingmaterial shown is a set of bristles, such as toothbrush bristles,located within the top brush tray 104, and also the bottom brush tray108. Therefore, to be precise, in the context of discussing the figuresthe tooth-brushing material 106 will be referred to as “bristles.”

In alternative embodiments, the tooth-brushing material 106 can besponge material, polymer foam material, gel-like material, a combinationthereof, and/or any other substance that can safely and effectivelyclean a user's teeth, especially when used in conjunction with ateeth-cleaning agent such as toothpaste. In some embodiments, thetooth-brushing material 106 can be a micro-cleaning material such asmicro-fiber, or a micro-sponge, and/or traditional cleaning padmaterial. It can be non-abrasive and form-fitting, as well as flexibleand pliable.

The top brush tray 104 is an arc-shaped, upward facing channel capableof receiving a user's top row of teeth, and the bottom brush tray 108 isan arc-shaped, downward-facing channel capable of receiving a user'sbottom row of teeth. In some embodiments, the motor case 102 can beattached to one of the trays and not the other. In the embodiment shown,the top and bottom brush trays are secured to the motor case, via a traysupport structure (not shown here, but shown and discussed in FIG. 2,below) which in turn supports both of the trays.

Some embodiments include a handle 110. A manually operable switch 112 iscapable of operating the motor. In some embodiments the switch 112 canbe located on a handle 110, while in other embodiments, the switch 112can be located directly on the motor case 102. In the embodiment shown,the handle 110 is a finger-graspable handle protrusion extending from afront side of the motor case 102 and through the trays 104, 108. Inother embodiments, the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleanerdoes not include a handle 100.

The motor case 102 and the trays 104, 108 can be made of a safe andnon-abrasive material, such as plastic. The bristles 106 can be anybristles capable of brushing teeth in a non-abrasive manner, such astraditional toothbrush bristles. In the embodiment shown, the top 104and bottom 105 trays lie in substantially parallel planes. Also in theembodiment shown, the toothbrush bristles 106 include bristlespositioned so as to be capable of contacting the front and back surfacesof a user's teeth. Furthermore, the top brush tray 104 contains bristlescapable of contacting the bottom and side surfaces of a user's topteeth, while the bottom brush tray 105 contains bristles capable ofcontacting the top and side surfaces of a user's bottom teeth.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. In thisembodiment, the motor 200 is visible. Also visible is a tray supportstructure system including two support fins 202, 203, which attach tothe motor case 102 and support the top brush tray 104 and bottom brushtray 108. The motor 200 can be capable of vibrating the hands-freesimultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 in such a manner as to inducethe toothbrush bristles 106 to brush a user's teeth. In someembodiments, the motor 200 can vibrate the hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 so as to induce the toothbrush bristles106 to brush a user's teeth in a random pattern.

The trays 104, 108 can be replaceable, so that a user can use the samecore product including the motor case 102 and support fins 200 (andhandle 110 when included in the design), but easily replace the trays104, 108, for example, if and when the bristles 106 have been worn outand are no longer useful, and/or the tray(s) 104, 108 are otherwisedamaged or otherwise not properly functional. The support fins 202, 203can be adjustable, so as to accommodate different size trays for peoplewith various different sized rows of teeth.

Because the motor 200 resides in a user's mouth during its use, thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 does not containbulky or heavy parts that protrude from the mouth. Therefore, thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 can be stabilizedby being secured in the mouth, and does not require a user to hold thedevice. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 can beused to brush their teeth while still allowing a user the freedom toaccomplish other tasks, such as getting ready for the day or for bed,including getting dressed or undressed.

FIG. 3A is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B isa top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an oblique viewof an alternative embodiment of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouthteeth cleaner 100 which includes gum-brushing toothbrush bristles 400that are angled so as to be capable of reaching a person's gum line. Inthis embodiment, the motorized action of the hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 can both brush a user's teeth as well asmassage the user's gums, all without requiring manual manipulation.

FIG. 5 is an oblique underside view of the embodiment of FIG. 4, furtherincluding extended soft-tissue contacting surfaces 500, 502 that arecapable of providing non-irritating frictional contact to soft tissue ofa user's mouth, via movement induced by the motor. In the embodimentshown, the extended soft-tissue contacting surface includes a bumped anddimpled surface 500 on the outer area of the top and bottom brush trays104, 108 so as to aid in cleaning and/or removing dead skin cells fromthe inside of a user's cheeks; as well as a ridged and grooved surface404 on the underside of the motor case 102, so as to aid in cleaningand/or removing dead skin cells from the top of a user's tongue. Theextended soft-tissue contacting surfaces 500, 502 can be comprised of asoft material, such as rubber. In various alternative embodiments,extended soft-tissue contacting surfaces 500, 502 can include bumps,dimples, and/or any other shape and/or texture features which promotesthe desired non-agitating frictional contact.

FIG. 6 is an elements diagram showing the relationship between the mainelements of an embodiment of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouthteeth cleaner. A motor case 102 housing a motor 200 supports a traysupport structure system (which in the embodiments shown, include twosupport fins 202, 203), which in turn supports the top brush tray 104and bottom brush tray 108 (each of which contain toothbrush bristles).In embodiments, a handle 110 protrudes from the front of the motor case102. In the embodiment shown, the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouthteeth cleaner includes a handle 110. A power switch 112 is attached tothe handle in this embodiment. The switch 112 is in communication withthe motor 200 so as to actuate the motor 200, turning the motor 200 onor off, as desired. In this embodiment, the motor 200 causes thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner 100 to vibrate so asto induce the toothbrush bristles to brush a user's teeth in a randompattern.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating exemplary steps of using thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner. In this example, anembodiment of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleanerincluding a handle is used. First, a user puts toothpaste in the motorcase 700. In some embodiments, this can be done simply by squeezingtoothpaste into the top brush tray and the bottom brush tray whileholding the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleanervertically, while holding the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner by the handle. Next, the user inserts the hands-freesimultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner into their mouth 702. The userthen positions their top row of teeth into the top brush tray, and theirbottom row of teeth into the bottom brush tray 704.

Next, the user operates the switch, thereby powering on the motor andcausing the bristles to move 706. In some embodiments, the motor causesthe hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner to vibrate so asto induce the toothbrush bristles to brush a user's teeth in a randompattern. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner brushes auser's teeth, leaving the user's hands free and enabling the user toengage in other activity, such as dressing or undressing. If the userhas other tasks to engage in during brushing teeth 708, the user canengage in those tasks during the brushing of their teeth 710. Finally,when the user is finished brushing their teeth, the user shuts the poweroff, and removes the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner712.

Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled inthe art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the inventionas claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limitthe invention except as indicated in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner for brushing teeth without requiring any manual manipulation,the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner comprising: a topbrush tray with an arc-shaped, upward-facing channel capable ofreceiving a user's top row of teeth, the top brush tray havingtooth-brushing material affixed to an inner surface of the upward-facingchannel, the tooth-brushing material being positioned so as to contactthe user's top row of teeth when the user's teeth are received by thetop brush tray; a bottom brush tray with an arc-shaped, downward-facingchannel capable of receiving a user's bottom row of teeth, the top brushtray having tooth-brushing material affixed to an inner surface of thedownward-facing channel, the tooth-brushing material being positioned soas to contact the user's bottom row of a user's teeth when the user'steeth are received by the bottom brush tray; a motor case attached to atleast one of the top brush tray and the bottom brush tray, the motorcase being located in a center space formed by at least one of the topbrush tray and the bottom brush tray; a motor housed within the motorcase, the motor being in driving relationship with at least one of thetop and bottom brush trays, the motor being thereby capable of causingmovement of the tooth-brushing material within the top and bottom brushtrays; and a switch capable of actuating the motor, thereby causing thetooth-brushing material within both the top and bottom brush trays tosimultaneously brush both the top and bottom rows of the user's teeth.2. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1,wherein the tooth brushing material includes at least one of: bristles;sponge material; polymer foam; and gel.
 3. The hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1, wherein the top brush tray and thebottom brush tray are mutually affixed so as to lie in substantiallyparallel planes.
 4. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner of claim 1, wherein the tooth-brushing material is positioned soas to be capable of contacting at least one of: an outer surface of atooth; and an inner surface of a tooth.
 5. The hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1, wherein the tooth-brushingmaterial is positioned so as to be capable of contacting at least oneof: bottom surfaces of top teeth; and top surfaces of bottom teeth. 6.The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1,wherein the tooth-brushing material is positioned so to be capable ofcontacting a user's gum line.
 7. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouthteeth cleaner of claim 1, wherein plastic is used to make at least oneof: the top brush tray; the bottom brush tray; and the motor case. 8.The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1,wherein the motor is capable of vibrating at least one of the top brushtray and the bottom brush tray in a substantially random motion.
 9. Thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1, furthercomprising: a handle extending from at least one of: the motor case; thetop brush tray; and the bottom brush tray, the handle being for manuallyguiding the top brush tray and bottom brush tray into and out of auser's mouth, the handle being sufficiently small and lightweight, so asto enable a user to perform actions other than toothbrushing duringoperation of the hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner. 10.The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 9,wherein the handle extends from an apex of at least one of the top brushtray and the bottom brush tray.
 11. The hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 9, wherein the handle is short enoughto enable a user to pull clothes over the user's head.
 12. Thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 9, whereinthe handle includes a rounded end.
 13. The hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 9, wherein the handle includes aball-shaped end.
 14. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner of claim 9, wherein the switch is located on the handle.
 15. Thehands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 1, furthercomprising: an extended soft-tissue contacting surface of at least oneof: the top brush tray, the bottom brush tray, and the motor case, theextended soft-tissue contacting surface being capable of providingnon-irritating frictional contact to soft tissue of a user's mouth viavibration induced by the motor.
 16. The hands-free simultaneouswhole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 15, wherein the non-irritatingfrictional contact is capable of at least one of: removing dead cellsfrom the soft tissue; and cleaning the soft tissue.
 17. The hands-freesimultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleaner of claim 15, wherein the softtissue includes at least one of: the user's gums; the user's tongue; andthe user's inner cheeks.
 18. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouthteeth cleaner of claim 15, wherein the extended soft-tissue contactingsurface is capable of providing simultaneous non-irritating frictionalcontact to each of: the user's gums; the user's tongue; and the user'sinner cheeks.
 19. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teeth cleanerof claim 17, wherein the extended soft-tissue contacting surfaceincludes rubber.
 20. The hands-free simultaneous whole-mouth teethcleaner of claim 17, wherein the extended soft-tissue contacting surfacecontains at least one of: bumps; ridges; dimples; and grooves.